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How Much Time Do You Have to Report a Car Accident in Each State?

Car accidents can be a hassle for a number of reasons. The potential harm to the driver and passengers of each vehicle is obviously the biggest concern, but the harm to the vehicles, and the ensuing insurance dealings are also a pain. To top it all off, a lot of times accidents occur in the middle of the road, and you have to worry about getting the cars out of the way of traffic.

All these other things to worry about can sometimes hide the fact that most accidents need to be reported to the police. Drivers are legally required to report all accidents that result in injury or notable damage to personal property. Even if none of these things occur, it’s a good idea to report an accident, in case injuries show up later, or the owner of the vehicle you collided with does not comply with your insurance agreement, or files false claims against you.

Because of this, you should always consider reporting a car accident. However, there is a limit to how long you can wait after the accident occurs before reporting it. That limit changes from state to state, so be sure to look at this list and familiarize yourself with the deadline for reporting an accident in your state.

The time you have to report an accident in each state

Alabama: 30 days

Alaska: 10 days

Arizona: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Arkansas: 90 days

California: 10 days

Colorado: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Connecticut: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Delaware: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Florida: 10 days

Georgia: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Hawaii: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Idaho: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Illinois: 10 days

Indiana: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Iowa: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Kansas: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Kentucky: 10 days

Louisiana: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Maine: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Maryland: 15 days

Massachusetts: Five days

Michigan: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Minnesota: 10 days

Mississippi: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Missouri: 30 days

Montana: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Nebraska: 10 days

Nevada: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

New Hampshire: 15 days

New Jersey: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

New Mexico: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

New York: Five days

North Carolina: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

North Dakota: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Ohio: Six months

Oklahoma: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Oregon: Three days

Pennsylvania: Five days

Rhode Island: 21 days

South Carolina: 15 days

South Dakota: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Tennessee: 20 days

Texas: 10 days

Utah: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Vermont: Five days

Virginia: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Washington: Four days

West Virginia: Five days

Wisconsin: Accident must be immediately reported over the phone

Wyoming: 10 days

For states that require immediate reports, you should use your cell phone if you have one, or a pay phone if you can get to one. If for whatever reason you are unable to report the accident when it occurs, contact the police department or Department of Motor Vehicles at your soonest convenience.

Reporting an accident is a very important thing, so make sure that you do it anytime there is injury or property damage, and consider doing it anytime you’re involved in an accident. As long as you follow these deadlines, the reporting process will be smooth and easy.

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